Posted on 08/10/2018 8:07:15 AM PDT by SMGFan
WATERVILLE, Minn. (AP) For all the talk of a blue wave sweeping Democrats back into the House majority this fall, their efforts could be thwarted in one of the nations bluest states. Voters in the sprawling farm country south of Minneapolis and in the economically struggling Iron Range along the Canadian border give Republicans in those two congressional districts perhaps their best chance anywhere for flipping Democratic seats. Democrats need to pick up 23 seats in November to retake the House, but the odds grow long if they lose districts they currently hold. Democratic incumbents in both Minnesota districts are leaving office, and the races to replace them are widely rated as tossups. President Donald Trump carried both by about 15 points in 2016, even as Hillary Clinton narrowly won Minnesota.
Minnesota is going to be ground zero for control of the House, said Corry Bliss, director of the Conservative Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel of New York, who served four years as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, agreed.
It will go a long way to maintaining Republican control of the House, picking up those two seats, Israel said. Both sides know that. And thats why youre going to see millions of dollars being spent on all those races. The GOP is also eying two seats in Nevada and single seats in Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania as possible flips.
Despite Minnesotas reputation as a liberal stronghold it hasnt gone for a Republican president since 1972 the state has become a major battleground for the parties. Tens of millions of dollars in outside political advertising have flooded the state in recent years as Republicans tried to pick off outstate members of Congress while Democrats focused on the suburbs. The GOP now holds three of the states eight House seats.
The two Minnesota seats opened up when Rep. Tim Walz, in the 1st District, decided to run for governor and 74-year-old Rep. Rick Nolan, in the 8th, decided to retire ahead of a difficult re-election fight. Both Democrats just barely hung on in 2016.
Ha ha. Painful truth. Suck it up Honeybunch. It's not a Blue Wave, it's a Blue Ripple.
“moral victory”/s
Dem Blue Wave , Dems want small majority , Dems hope not lose any seats ,LOL
Minnesota is far from “The Bluest State”
Outside of Minneapolis and the Iron Range (Old School Union), the rest of the State is pretty Conservative.
With all the hype re: the blue wave, imagine the despair the Dems will have if they fail to take over the House... the crying, yelling and hysterics.
Watching the youtube videos will be so much fun.
Like Hillary stumbling down a flight of stairs.
Ha ha. Painful truth. Suck it up Honeybunch. It's not a Blue Wave, it's a Blue Ripple.
Dems 2018/20 Blue Wave shown below:
Thanks to Navy Patriot and ObozoMustGo2012 for the above!
a gain of 10 house seats “morale victory” with an e .. setting stage for 2020.
But we are talking only House & Senate?
What about loss of Governor seats & state legislature seats?
With President Donald Trump’s energy and charisma, It could be a red wave.
Even a small red ripple would ensure that most of President Trump’s program would get passed.
Conservatives need to work very hard to make it so!
“””Outside of Minneapolis and the Iron Range (Old School Union), the rest of the State is pretty Conservative.””””””””
I’m in a second tier suburb of Minneapolis. Relatively Republican here.
Minneapolis/St Paul...lost cause.
Iron Range...old school democrat but they are starting to see the light.
Then we take the House back in 2020 ...
Why worry? They’ll find 50 boxes of uncounted ballots in some cars in an abandoned parking lot.
They are going to stumble in many places.
We have to make the non citizens think twice about voting.
I think the midterms will flip some House seats — from D to R.
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